The best ADD advice you found helpful | ADHD Information

I think differnt things work for differnt people, but I thought it would be neat if we could list some advice or trick we picked up from other Add Adults that made a big diffence and helped us in some way or encouraged us.

For me it was some advice on Planners. The advice stated that PDA's were not the best way for ADD adults to organize there day. Even if it did sync with outlook, the screen was too small and we need more visual clues. The way we entered data, made remembering the data later harder.

It suggested a Large planner or book, or better yet a binder. The more colorful the better, the trick here is to catch the eye. They adviced making the binder fit your life, and bring it everywhere you go and use it as a constant reffernace.

Well I tried it, . I made a binder, 3 ring, 1". I bought deviders and devided up everything my job entailed. As a supervisor, I have to meet employees and customer needs. So my first page in my binder was a tasks page broken into Three sections. Hot tasks, customer Needs, Employee Needs. THis is where when anyone gave me or needed anything from me in the future, I would write it down immediatley. it was set up like this

Who When ; ; ; What ; ; Start Plan Exec Complete

Bob 3-21-05 ; ; Needs new pencil 3-21 Ordered 3-22 Done

After that I had my calendar where I kept all my appointments, I wrote everything in this calendar. THe advice said never had two calendars, only one, two adds to confusion. so all my personal stuff went here.

Then I had a tab called Phone Calls, Here I wrote down every voice mail left to me and all the ones I left. when I left them, why and who, thier address and phone numbers and a small box to check if I heard back from them and space to continue the writing.

Next I had Projects, things I was working on, here I put all the important things to remember and deadlines I had to meet.

After that I put in some personal stuff, I had a tab for bills and My checkbook balances,

ANd lastly I had contact and information tab.

I started using the binder, unsure of how much it would help me. Its been months now, and I can't tell you how happy i am with my binder. Besides taking all the stress out of me at work. I have had people come up to me and say since that I forget nothing, and they are amazed. I get back to them quickly and I never forget a need or miss anything.

I find I have tons of time in my day, where before it was a frantic mess. My little binder does all the remembering for me. All i do is commit to open it several times a day, look at each section and ask, have I forgotten to call anyone today, forgot to do anything, or am I missing something.

When I get to the back, I know for sure I have forgotten nothing, and can move on with my projects in my projects section.

FOr me, the binder is what I really needed, I find just having to physically write in it makes me remember. I had a 0 PDA and it didn't help, yet this simple binder, LOL< just did it for me.

As silly as it sounds, I would love to hear what advice you found valuable, maybe there is more nuggets out there I can learn from. For now Im keeping my binder, hehe, I just upgraded it to a aluminum attache case / binder, with locks. And I do say so my self, I look spiffy carring it around.

Dave2u4now38432.6632060185

That's a very good idea Dave. Thanks for sharing.

I've tried various things in the past and I think the most effective systems involved writing things down and crossing them off as they are done. You also need a column for writing a deadline and also for notes, such as what time you called and left a message, otherwise it's confusing.

Here's an example of something I had difficulty with in my last job. The boss asks me to get someone to fix the fax machine. I call engineering and find out who deals with that, and then I call the electrician and leave a message but he doesn't call me back.

Unless I write somewhere that I have to keep calling during the day until I catch him at his desk I forget about it. A week has passed and it looks like I haven't done anything about it, but in reality I've been calling every couple of days when I remember, but it's hard because in a big company you have to keep calling other departments to get anything done.

The most basic system that works sometimes for me is using TASKS in Microsoft Outlook. It's very basic but I use it at work for non urgent tasks.

My last job was at a magazine and I used the Tasks for reader enquiries. When they called about a back-issue I would type their name, address, and the article they wanted straight into tasks. Any time I had nothing to do, or didn't feel like doing any work I would mail out an article to a reader and cross it off the list.

My next job I'm going to make a folder too!

Microsoft Excel really helped me get a handle on my debts. I set up columns for each seperate debt (student loan, credit card, etc.), and created a row for each month. I have a knack for using the formulas in Excel (which is a real wonder because I detest math), so each month I enter my monthly payment as I make it and the pre-set formulas calculate the interest and tell me what I still owe.

I noticed a definite trend - once I set this up, my debts started to go DOWN instead of UP. I think it was because I had this visual reminder that I could look at whenever I wanted, that was set with a "goal date", rather than waiting for a monthly statement that told me very little.

I'm glad your binder works for you. I don't think I could stick with it. I'd never get it set up, to start with, and I don't think I would be able to make checking it several times a day a habit.

In my opinion my greatest weakness is not that my mind moves around allot, its that it forgets where it has been, and what it was doing only seconds before, never mind minutes or hours before.

Thats why the binder works for me most likely, I bet some of you remember allot better than I do. LOL I envy you.

You guys have great ideas.

My most effective tactic is that i have set a date with myself to rent a movie once per week that i watch alone. that is my time to make my personal to do list, organize my pile, pay the bills, etc. i also often end up folding the clothes during that time.

[QUOTE=Dave2u4now]I bet some of you remember allot better than I do. LOL I envy you.[/QUOTE]

Me too, cuz I'm certainly not one of them!

You are correct.

The big thing is not so much what you use.

But the system must fit you so you actually can use it. Some people are attracted to computer technology and that works great. For me, I left my PDA and went back to a simple month-at-a-glance paper calendar. What I needed were fewer steps. With the PDA I had to turn it on, then go to the calendar, then select the MONTH view. At that point I just see little indicators on a day that something is scheduled. So then I have to click on the day to read what it is. Then I have to either go back to the MONTH view or scroll through the days to see the next appointment. With the papaer calenday I just open the page and I see it all. It is very low-tech. The funny thing is, I an a technical guy in the computer software business! But you have to use what works!

[QUOTE=Dave2u4now]

I think the big key isn't that its a binder or a Task list or a Excel spread sheet. I think the key is that something else is keeping track for us and doing the remembering. Giving us visual clues so we can recall and plan. I agree, it needs to be visual for me, also. Although I've run out of Post-Its and need another pad for my list, which I use religiously. I love to physically cross them out when done!

In my opinion my greatest weakness is not that my mind moves around allot, its that it forgets where it has been, and what it was doing only seconds before, never mind minutes or hours before. Dave, me too, me too....seconds! Oy! Go get pen, look for pad...uh, what was it I was going to remind myself?

Forgetting to me is the loophole of ADD, its the heart of allot of my fustrations. There are other parts that are anoying. Like always fidgeting, and giving up on projects half way through, or being impulsive with my money. But the worst for me is when I forget stuff. Yes, my forgetting is my worst frustration, too. However, it's not just forgetting what I need to do or what I was going to do....it's forgetting words! Simple words. I may be typing on this board, and totally lose not only my train of thought, but the word I want to use. It's like I'm in kindergarden, and don't know the words yet, but the idea is there, you know? Urrgh!!!![/QUOTE] I switched to a binder but find that I still use the bells (alarms) that come with the pda & outlook. Every evening I now sync my treo with alarms that go off for each appointment (and/or task which I set up as an appointment in outlook). Alarms help bring me back to the task or appointment when my mind is elsewhere. Also only print out a single outlook sheet (single day calendar and tasks). Write on it...copy into outlook at end of day...crumple and print next day's page. Rigid routine seems to help.

I carry a small notebook around with me (usually in my top pocket). Goes with me everywhere...bed...bathroom...you name it. It has a pen (on a piece of string). When my brain is spewing out ideas, I make sure I write them down (esp at night). Helps me switch off and go to sleep (after all it has been written down!).